Seat belts, Do you actually use them

[JetPhoto 626]

With the unfortunate passing of Matt Lamb the question comes up about who wears their seatbelt in emergency vehicles. While it seems that most EMS crews wear seat belts in the front many do not wear them in the back. Some ambulances are being redesigned to make it possible to move around easier while still belted, but then we still have to make the motion of using it.

How many firefighters use seat belts in fire trucks? Do your drivers, does your crew wear them?

How many police use them? I know some have their reasons, but really are those reasons going to save your life in a accident?

This is just a topic for discussion not finger pointing at anyone specific. We all need to wear them because when a emergency vehicle is in an accident, you can and will be thrown around (or out) of the vehicle more than in your POV.

[Guest paramedico987]

I really try to, but I know that lots of my co-workers do not while at work... they've all found interesting ways to make the truck not beep at them.

[Guest]

I bet trying to pak up with a seatbelt on cant be very easy...nvr had to yet. Other than that I forget its there.

My reg car has an annoyong sound that dosnt shut up unless u have it "clicked" so...I just wear it.

[Guest]

I always wear mine in my POV. However, our engine has the old school open crew cab. And when you are trying to pack up, all you have on is a lap belt. So its not THAT hard to pack up, still kinda hindering though. Sometimes, some of the guys (purposfully or not) tuck it between the seat, and side of the engine, so you cant find it without searching.

[smwells 7]

I use them in the Front always, and in the back of the ambulance when possible..

If you are EMT make sure you trust the one up front to get you and the patient safely to your destination.. If needed get someone else to drive or switch positions if needed. The EMT has enough going on, without worrying about the person up front.. RIP MATT

[johnvv 20]

My answer is short and sweet- POV- Always, Apparatus-Always, NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

[Goose 188]

I find it almost impossible to wear a seatbelt and tech a call in just about every type of ambulance. I can't do a proper exam and initiate the proper care from the bench. As passenger or driver i always belt up. However, last night a buddy of mine got banged out on a nasty trauma as my tour was about to end (leaving him as the only unit in the area) - my partner grabbed me and we rolled to back him up - being caught off guard, i forgot the belt. Rare occasion, but it dose happen despite how conscious i try to be. Moral of the story - always make sure to wear that belt!

Edited November 18, 2007 by Goose

[jcoppola 52]

Ok, I'll be honest, it took the horrible loss of Captain John Keane of Waterbury FD to get me to open my eyes to wearing my seatbelt all the time. I was an occasional wearer, but in my 20+ years of responding in fire apparatus, I never made a concious effort to do so. Now I do and I try to reach for it every time I get in the truck. All reports about Waterbury seem to indicate that seatbelts may have changed that tragic outcome.

RIP Captain John Keane, Waterbury FD.

[50-65 205]

Sometimes, but not usually. About 1/3 of the time in my POV. Almost never in the fire apparatus. When I was working in EMS, I did about 1/2 the time when up front, never in the back. I do most of the time at my regular job only because I can be fired if I am caught without it.

Don't ask. I have my reasons.

[JCESU 20]

I have heard all the excuses about not wearing seatbelts in radio cars. I don't agree with them at all. In an ESU wagon I think its actually more comfortable and holds you in place.In the ESU Mack its either head trauma or seatbelt. The only time I wouldn't is enroute to a pre-planned tac-job.BTW most cars/trucks do have instructions in the owners manual to disengage the belt minder BELL.

[mikeinet 37]

when on an ambulance... always in the front I'll wear a seatbelt... responding in the back to a call (if I am) I'll wear it as well. When tech'ing a call - - I agree w/ everyone, it's virtually impossible with the way current ambulances are designed to fully work up a pt and maintain a seat belted environment.

Fire apparatus... can't lie, I rarely do wear a seatbelt.

POV... every single time.

[efdny2003 16]

I always wear my seatbelt in my P.O.V., I even wear it when Im just moving it. In the truck going to a call or not, I always wear my seatbelt, the only time I take it off aside from when back at the house, is when Im packing up, then i take it off, but only when I know we're almost on the scene, Ill take my belt off to pack up because our trucks have regular seatbelts like in cars...so to pack up with that is deffinately a challenge. In the ambulance, if Im up front Im belted, if Im in the back I dont always wear it...just driving around back from the hospital or something yea I wear it, but if transporting a patient I dont always just so i can help the EMT out and get him whatever equipment he may need.

[JohnnyOV 2]

always...If im driving, my rig doesn't roll unless everyone is seated with the seatbelts on

[nycemt728 49]

Always!!! In an ambulance, I used to think the same, its very hard to tech, but after a while I found, if done properly, you don't really need to move around too much unless your working up an arrest or somthing serious. I bet if most techs take the time to think and prep some equipment, they could tech the call w/o disengaging the seatbelt. Whether it be getting your cuff, scope and pts sleeve rolled up and jacket off to gettin a pen light and gauze out of the cabinets or bags, you can do alot before you roll so you don't have to do it later unsafely. They are starting to mention this in CEVO classes as well and quite frankly I've never had an issue in being seatbelted while teching. As for trusting the driver, thats all well and good, (most times I do) but that does nothing for the other idiots on the road. I can personally attest that after my bus was cut off, I was saved my another crew member who happened to be sitting on a step stool in between the captain's chair and the side door. Had she not been there and caught me ( I was standing) i would have been slammed head first into some onboard tanks. Bottom line folks, seatbelt every time is the best way to go...just too many reasons not to!

[Guest]

When I am in my personal car or a rig from my fire dept. I always wear my seatbelt no questions asked. In the ambulance to and from calls I wear it no matter where I'm sitting, but if were transporting I have to agree with everyone else and say it is almost impossible to do my job as an EMT correctly if I am belted in.

For the those of you who have said that they don't wear there seeatbelt if they are packing up I'm sorry but personally I don't agree with that. Look at it from this angle, if you pack up in the truck, don't you have to readjust it anyway when you get out of the cab? Second point, you can get your pack on with your seatbelt on you just have to readjust it after you get out but you would have to do it anyway. Finally if you say your doing it to save time, come one how much time are you really saving, 10-15 seconds? It doesn't make that much of a difference.

nycemt, while you make a good point, the ambulances I ride on, are laid out in a way that it is physically impossible to reach the things you will need for even the most basic of calls, and I'm sure ours aren't the only ones. I'm not saying it makes it acceptable, just that thats how it is.

Edited November 19, 2007 by CVFD63

[Guest alsfirefighter]

POV always. Fire Apparatus always. Flycar always. Ambulance when in patient compartment as often as feasible.

There are no excuses or reasons not wo where one. PERIOD!

There is not one valid excuse as to why you don't wear one. Sorry for all of you that feel you do.

You are suppose to be a leader by example. The public looks up to you...buckle up and arrive alive.

[maisela 0]

Always in my POV. Within the past few months, I've been making a conscious effort to wear my seatbelt in the rigs at all times. With our new apparatus, easy access to seatbelts makes life easy. On our older trucks, however, it's easier said than done. Our out-of-town engine has seatbelts that can barely be accessed once in SCBA and our recently required spare engine has one working seatbelt in the crew area. These are things I mentioned to my Chief and Fire Captain and is something I think will be addressed. I've noticed that anytime we roll to a confirmed dwelling or structure fire, the seatbelts are the first thing guys forget about. I think we all need to take a deep breath (including myself) and realize that buckling up doesn't cause for lost time on the fireground. On a more positive note, I've seen that just the mere act of putting my own seatbelt on has caused other guys in the cab to do the same. It's really not just the driver and officer's responsibility, it's everyone's.

[Guest]

I always wear my seat belt in my POV and in the ambulance/fire truck. Many of my crew members used to make fun of me when I belted myself in when I got into the firetruck. Now, I see more and more putting them on.

As with the ambulance, being the crew chief (EMT) I tell everyone in my crew to belt in. As it was stated before, ambulances are being designed where the crew member can remain belted in and still work on the patient. We are looking at getting a new ambulance in our fire house and safety is one of the biggest things our committee is looking at.

Seat belts should be something that you should not have to think about. Vehicle crashes do not care if your a civilian, police officer, emt, or firefighter. Click the belt, its that just simple.

Stay safe out here everyone.

[helicopper 1,050]

Always, always, always. Doesn't matter what vehicle I'm in (yes, even the helicopter!).

I even wear it when driving from one part of the airport to the other. Ya just never know!

[Remember585 815]

When I first started driving at 16 I always wore it. Over time I got away from it. In the past few years I really have been doing my best to wear it in the car, the apparatus, the ambulance and as a passenger. It's growing on me everytime I get in a vehicle and hopefully it will become second nature. I do notice that I fail to make sure my crew is belted in the apparatus most of the time, but I working as hard as I can at being better about it.

Speaking of belting in when in the back of the rig - our personnel are real good about packing up once we're on the scene instead of while the rig is in motion. I think it's a combination of being safe and because it's a little easier to don the pack outside where you have more room.

The concept Phoenix was going with (where the SCBAs were stored in exterior compartments) is something I think will grow on people.

[Monty 35]

It's good to see people being honest here - as some have said, an incident like the recent one will start to change people's minds.

My department says it has a policy but there's no support from the top to enforce it. Personally I've almost made a crusade out of highlighting LODD's. I am seeing more people in my company wearing them, although it happens less when they are en-route to a call.

I like the concept of Phoenix - another benefit I hear of is that it makes it easier for everyone to do a sizeup before they go to work.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

As I said....there are NO valid excuses not to wear one!

I can understand and have been in the position with older apparatus. But here is the deal...retro fit them! I've seen money spent on stupider things and I know you have too. NFPA 1901 has an appendix for apparatus that deals with safety upgrade requirements when they get refurbed, seat belts is one of them. And yes you have to follow it or it may come back to haunt the powers to be!

Think of this...if you have or are going to have children...or even simpler lets say you have kids. Would you put them in your car without buckling them up? Then why wouldn't you either? You are just as important to them as they are to you! Click it! It takes 2 seconds that may save years of your life.

[firemoose827 324]

I, like so many others here have mentioned already, wear my belt everywhere except the back of the ambulance. Its bad, I know, but in the rig I work in its difficult to work on the pt belted. I have been playing around with a design for a seatbelt for the back of ambulances for years now. Sort of a harness, connected to a retractable belt that clips to the harness in back, and in the event of an accident the belt retracts and locks, holding you to the bench. I think it would work but every time I ask someone to help me test it they all run...cant figure it out.

Seriously though, I agree with those that mentioned you should wear it 100% of the time no excuses. But unfortunately I am just as guilty when it comes to forgetfulness and excuses. It should stop. Wear them all the time and stay safe.

Moose

[ajsbear 11]

As ALS said several times there is no excuse. Iwear mine 100% of the time, my little one is in hios car seat buckled up at all times and since my wife got the new Ford that keeps beeping if she's not she now uses it too. I even see her putting it on in my car now as a habit. In the rig not only do I wear it but I make sure before I pull out everyone has it on as well.

[JM15 386]

Remember585 Brought up a good point about the exterior mounted SCBA's. We have two older apparatus with the exterior mounted SCBA's and I think that I like them better. I like the idea of packing up while on scene. I heard this during FF1, Packing up on scene gives you time to slow down and examine your surroundings and the structure look for any possible hazards that you may encounter and it also gives you time to plan out your attack. Basically putting on an SCBA should be second nature and you shouldn't have to think about it, and getting ready on scene gives you a couple of seconds to think before you act. It is also a lot easier to pack up while standing up.

[Bunkers 0]

the only place i dont wear a seatbelt is on the train